John Fetterman named to TIME’s 100 most influential individuals in health
(WHTM) — Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has been listed among TIME’s 100 most influential people in health.
The senator was selected, the magazine says, for the handling of his own struggles with mental health and disability while in the public eye.
“It was a private struggle that threatened to overshadow his political journey, yet Fetterman chose to confront it head-on, defying the stigma surrounding mental health and disability in the political arena,”
TIME magazine
Fetterman’s public health struggles entered the national spotlight in May 2022, when he suffered a major stroke while he was campaigning for Senate.
As he recovered and continued campaigning in subsequent months, Fetterman brought disability rights to the forefront of national conversation.
During abc27’s October 2022 Pennsylvania Senate Debate against Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, Fetterman requested a few accommodations, including closed captioning.
Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
This Week in Pennsylvania
Months later, on February 15, 2023, Fetterman’s health made headlines again when he checked in to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to receive treatment for clinical depression.
The senator later said publicly that he thought the move would end his political career.
Since seeking treatment, Fetterman has continued to advocate in interviews and at public events for those struggling with mental health to get the help they need.
Fetterman responds to 2028 presidential questions, says he’s off X
At the 2024 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, he notably spoke to visitors about the importance of mental health.
Among the Time 100 Health honorees were Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, the University of Pennsylvania scientists who saw the potential of RNA that led to the COVID-19 vaccines.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
